Mac Java problem when creating a database

In attempting to create a new database in LibreOffice ver 5.3.7. 2 under MacOS High Sierra Version 10.13.4 I receive an error message, "No Java installation could be found". Going to the "Verify Java" Website and using it to check my Save installation, I receive the message "Congratulations! You have the recommended Java installed (Version 8 Update 171)."

2 Answers

Hi Jack, and thank you Ratslinger for the advice provided in your various posts to help users with similar questions.

I am a new user of LibreOffice, having downloaded it today (14 June 2018). I would describe myself as a fairly experienced user of a Mac, and a very experienced researcher of online information, but I find LibreOffice's documentation, both in the help documents, its FAQ, its installation guides and so on to be appalling for this basic bit of functionality that is essential to make the Base (database) part of LibreOffice function properly. It was only on searching this knowledgebase for 'Mac Java' that I found any sensible answers, and this still required clicking through multiple answers from the very kind and patient Ratslinger. If I didn't know better, I would get the impression that the creators and maintainers of LibreOffice are not interested in attracting Mac users to use the product.

I am on a 2017 iMac running Mac OS High Sierra (OS version 10.13.5) and I installed LibreOffice version 6.0.4.

After installing LibreOffice - since you will probably have done that before reaching this page - you need to install Oracle's Java Development Kit, or JDK.

NOTE: The JDK is different from Oracle's Java Runtime Environment or JRE. If you only install the JRE, the database module of LibreOffice will not function properly, and when you manually try to add the JRE to LibreOffice through the application's preferences, you will fail.

On that page, click on the radio button for 'Accept License Agreement'

On the same page, click on the link to download the version of the JDK for Mac OS.

After the disk image file has downloaded, double-click on it to mount the disk image.

Double-click on the icon for the installer package, and when prompted enter the user name and password for an account that has administrator privileges on the Mac. (If it is just your machine, this is the account name and account password you chose when you first set up your Mac.) Then click on the 'install software' button and whatever buttons are needed to enable you to install software downloaded from the web instead of Apple's App Store.

Launch LibreOffice. Navigate to the preferences window ("LibreOffice" menu in the top left corner of the screen, then 'Preferences'). Select 'Advanced' from the list of options on the left hand side. This should display the preference options for Java. If the installation of the JDK has gone well, it should already have a tick in the option for 'Use a Java runtime environment'. In the pane below that, a radio button should indicate that the vendor is Oracle ...

@AndrewNZ - Based upon your further postings on other questions, I hope you are aware there may be further complications than what you are covering. Have you reviewed the Bug reports, both open and closed, on this matter? OSX version may have a bearing on the Java situation! When dealing with Java and LO (which is gradually going away - Firebird is next step) each case may be different.

@Ratslinger Thank you for that additional information. However, while there may be problems with Apple's OS and Oracle's Java - and I'm not saying the software issue is the fault of LibreOffice - this doesn't change the fact that LibreOffice's documentation for Mac users wanting to switch to LibreOffice is woeful on this basic element of how to get the software installed and running.